Diomansy Kamara was the unlikely hero as he kept Fulham on course to make history.

The Senegal striker has been a bit part player this season after a cruciate knee ligament injury, but he had a hand in his side's first goal and scored the second and third as he steered them towards their highest Premier League finish.

Ninth place is their best previous placing but now they are making a real burst to claim seventh and qualify for the Europa League.

Focus on Kamara: The Fulham striker celebrates his opening goal

Aston Villa's season may be ending with a whimper but Fulham are going out with a bang and, with Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora not fully fit, it was Kamara who had them firing in his first start of the campaign.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said: 'We didn't get him back until February and he has had bit parts coming on as substitute, but he got his chance and took it.

'His performance was very good. Not just for his goals - I thought he was a constant thorn in the side of the Villa defence.

'Sometimes we have accused him of not always being in the right places but today he was a model of tactical discipline and the way he played tested Villa to the limit.

Dan the man: Fulham's Danny Murphy, left, is congratulated after his goal

'That was one of our best performances of the season. The quality of our passing and movement was good and Villa are not easy to defend against.'

Martin O'Neill thought rather differently about his side's showing as the impetus they took from last Monday's win against Hull faded the longer the game went on. They didn't start well when James Milner conceded a penalty after six minutes with a barge on Kamara, who was played in by good work from Clint Dempsey and Erik Nevland. Murphy converted it calmly into the bottom right corner to give Fulham the lead and Nevland then went close with a glancing header.

But, while Fulham passed the ball around nicely in midfield and had the edge, they always looked vulnerable to one of Villa's trademark explosive breaks.

Plenty to celebrate: Ashley Young enjoys the moment after equalising

O'Neill's team equalised from one of them in the 14th minute when Milner, making amends for his earlier error, crossed from the right for Ashley Young to crash in at the far post under pressure from John Pantsil.

When Villa are in full flow like that they are a joy to watch. Young, deservedly the PFA's Young Player of the Year, was a threat and suffered some tough treatment from Hodgson's players as a result.

Danny Murphy, who was booked for a cynical foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor as he broke, left Young in a heap and needing treatment and the winger looked frustrated by the lack of protection. Somehow neither side added to their opening goals before the break. Brad Friedel had to be at his acrobatic best to deny Zoltan Gera from close range and stood firm when Clint Dempsey tried his luck from distance. Then Villa, in another lightning break from defence, caught Fulham cold.

Fall guy: Fulham's Diomansy Kamara (centre) is pushed over by Aston Villa's James Milner (second left), resulting in a penalty

Gabriel Agbonlahor raced away down the left and crossed for Young, but this time the winger hit his shot against the near post from close range. It was a miss Villa were made to regret immediately after the interval when Kamara put Fulham in front.

The striker had looked more mobile and threatening than ever and he combined with Dempsey before running on to the American's through ball to blast his team ahead in the 46th minute. Their third goal came on the hour when Brede Hangeland headed on a Murphy corner and Kamara, with his back to goal, flicked the ball in with his instep from two yards.

O'Neill responded by throwing on Emile Heskey and Nigel Reo-Coker. An angry Nicky Shorey was one of those who made way and he took an age to leave the pitch, receiving a telling off from O'Neill for his show of dissent.

However, apart from a Gareth Barry chip that floated over and a few dangerous crosses, Villa never look like turning it around and substitute Zamora could have made it four for Fulham in the dying minutes.

O'Neill said: 'In the first half we were very good. Going forward we were excellent in an entertaining game. But we did not test their goalkeeper in the second half and it was desperately poor. 'You would not have believed we have sat in the top six all season after the second half.'